Anaplasmataceaeand Borrelia burgdorferi sensu latoin the sand lizard Lacerta agilisand co-infection of these bacteria in hosted Ixodes ricinusticks

Ekner Anna, Dudek Krzysztof, Sajkowska Zofia, Majláthová Viktória, Majláth Igor, Tryjanowski, Tryjanowski Piotr

Description

Anaplasmataceae and Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. are important tick-borne bacteria maintained in nature by transmission between ticks and vertebrate hosts. However, the potential role of lizards as hosts has not been sufficiently studied. Results The current study showed that 23 of 171 examined sand lizards Lacerta agilis were PCR positive for Anaplasmataceae . The nucleotide sequences of the several selected PCR products showed 100% homology with Anaplasma spp. found in Ixodes ricinus collected in Tunisia and Morocco (AY672415 - AY672420). 1.2% of lizard collar scale samples were PCR positive for B. lusitaniae . In addition, 12 of 290 examined I. ricinus were PCR positive for B. burgdorferi s.l. and 82 were PCR positive for Anaplasmatacea . The number of ticks per lizard and the number of ticks PCR positive for both microorganisms per lizard were strongly correlated. Moreover, we found a significant correlation between numbers of ticks infected with Anaplasmataceae and with B. burgdorferi s.l. living on the same lizard. However, there was no significant correlation between detection of both bacteria in the same tick. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of Anaplasmataceae DNA and additionally the second report of B. burgdorferi s.l DNA detection in the sand lizard.

Sujets

• Reptiles
• Lacertidae
• Co-occurrence

Informations

• Publié par: biomed
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 55
• Langue: English

Extrait

Ekneret al.Parasites & Vectors2011,4:182 http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/content/4/1/182

R E S E A R C HOpen Access AnaplasmataceaeandBorrelia burgdorferi sensu latoin the sand lizardLacerta agilisand coinfection of these bacteria in hostedIxodes ricinusticks 1 1 12 23* Anna Ekner , Krzysztof Dudek , Zofia Sajkowska , Viktória Majláthová , Igor Majláthand Piotr Tryjanowski

Abstract Background:AnaplasmataceaeandBorrelia burgdorferis.l. are important tickborne bacteria maintained in nature by transmission between ticks and vertebrate hosts. However, the potential role of lizards as hosts has not been sufficiently studied. Results:The current study showed that 23 of 171 examined sand lizardsLacerta agiliswere PCR positive for Anaplasmataceae. The nucleotide sequences of the several selected PCR products showed 100% homology with Anaplasmaspp. found inIxodes ricinuscollected in Tunisia and Morocco (AY672415  AY672420). 1.2% of lizard collar scale samples were PCR positive forB. lusitaniae. In addition, 12 of 290 examinedI. ricinuswere PCR positive forB. burgdorferis.l. and 82 were PCR positive forAnaplasmatacea. The number of ticks per lizard and the number of ticks PCR positive for both microorganisms per lizard were strongly correlated. Moreover, we found a significant correlation between numbers of ticks infected withAnaplasmataceaeand withB. burgdorferis.l. living on the same lizard. However, there was no significant correlation between detection of both bacteria in the same tick. Conclusions:To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report ofAnaplasmataceaeDNA and additionally the second report ofB. burgdorferis.l DNA detection in the sand lizard. Keywords:Tickborne pathogens, Reptiles, Mixed infection,Lacertidae, Cooccurence

Background One of the most widespread bacterium transmitted by ticks isBorrelia burgdorferis. l., an agent of Lyme bor reliosis [1,2]. Reservoirs ofB. burgdorferis.l. are verte brates and special associations betweenBorreliastrains and particular groups of vertebrate hosts have been reported [3].B. lusitaniaewas the most common strain detected in lizard species and in ticks feeding on them [46]. Ticks are the main vector of other microorganisms, such as intracellular bacteria from the familyAnaplas mataceae[7,8], which attract the attention of public health professionals worldwide. One of the most

* Correspondence: [e-mail] 3 Institute of Zoology, PoznańUniversity of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71 c, 60625 Poznań, Poland Full list of author information is available at the end of the article

important species of this family isAnaplasma phagocy tophilumwhich causes human anaplasmosis (HA), for merly known as a human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) [9,10].A. phagocytophilumis an obligate intracel lular bacterium infecting the neutrophils of various mammalian species [9].Anaplasmataceaeare main tained in nature by transmission between vectors and reservoirs. Reservoirs of the bacteria are vertebrates, mainly rodents and ruminants [11,12]. The potential role of reptiles as hosts or reservoirs is not known and has not been sufficiently evaluated. To date, despite being found in ticks feeding on reptiles [1316],Ana plasmaspp. has been detected only in three lizard spe cies,Sceloporus ocidentalis,S. graciosusandElgaria coeruleus, living in North America [13]. The most common species of ticks in Europe,Ixodes ricinus[17] feeds on a wide variety of vertebrate hosts,

© 2011 Ekner et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.